About 85 Percent of Last Year's 7.5 Billion Seedlings Survived

Addis Ababa, December 26/2023(ENA)-  Ethiopia's Ministry of Agriculture has announced that about 85 percent of the 7.5 billion seedlings planted during the rainy season of the past Ethiopian Fiscal Year have survived and are thriving.

As part of its ambitious plan to plant 50 billion trees in two phases of the Green Legacy Initiative, Ethiopia planted 32.5 billion saplings thus far in the first phase and the first year of the second phase. 

Minister of Agriculture, Girma Amente said about 85 percent of the total 7.5 billion seedlings planted during last year's rainy season have survived.  

Out of these 7.5 billion seedlings planted, 57 percent were mixed forest and fruit bearing saplings, while the remaining 43 percent were planted for environmental protection and watershed development, he noted. 

Emphasizing the rigorous monitoring system in place, with biannual surveys conducted to ensure the well being of the seedlings, the minister explained that the exploration work will be done after the end of summer and winter months. 

Accordingly, as per the first inspection conducted after the rainy season, 85 percent of the seedlings planted were approved to be survived.   

"The survival rate assessments have to be conducted twice; first immediately after the rainy season (summer) and second after the end of the winter. In the first round of the biannual survey after the rainy season, we found about 85% survival rate for seedlings planted during the previous rainy season. Maintaining or even surpassing this rate in future plantings is crucial.”  

Stressing that the ministry will work to increase the approval rate by continuously carrying out care activities, Girma stated that the second exploration work will be done after the completion of the winter season. 

Looking ahead, the minister revealed that preparations for the upcoming rainy season are well underway. 

In collaboration with regional authorities, a plan to cultivate 9 billion seedlings is in place, leveraging the established nurseries and practices developed over the past years, he stated. 

Girma acknowledged the varying preparation times for different species, particularly indigenous trees, and assured that all necessary measures are being taken to ensure optimal planting conditions.

With Ethiopia aiming to plant 17.5 billion trees in the next three years, the Green Legacy Initiative  is rapidly approaching to meet its ambitious target of planting 50 billion saplings,  according to him. 

As Ethiopia proudly shared its Green Legacy experience at the recent COP28 Summit, the world is taking notice of this remarkable initiative, offering hope for a greener and more sustainable future for all.